Charged particle beam apparatus and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

Automated processing is provided. A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an image identity degree determination unit determining whether an identity degree is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the identity degree indicating a degree of identity between a processing cross-section image that is an SEM image obtained through observation of a cross section of the sample by a scanning electron microscope, and a criterion image that is the processing cross-section image previously registered; and a post-determination processing unit performing a predetermined processing operation according to a result of the determination by the image identity degree determination unit.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2019-057813, filed Mar. 26, 2019, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a charged particle beam apparatus and acontrol method thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

In preparation of a lamella sample, by using a focused ion beam (FIB), asurface of a sample is processed to form a cross section thereof, and aprocess of forming the cross section is observed using a scanningelectron microscope (SEM) or the FIB. An operator observes a scan imageobtained by the SEM to detect that a particular structure appears on thecross section of the sample or that the sample has an appropriatethickness, and terminates the processing by the FIB.

In order for the operator to detect the appearance of the particularstructure, it is necessary to acquire an image with high resolutionthrough reduction in noise by scanning at low speed, or through use of alens mode with high resolution.

In the related art, a focused ion beam apparatus that selects an opticalcondition and observes a sample to calculate a processing condition iswell known (see patent document 1). In the focused ion beam apparatusaccording to the related art, when an operator inputs input data (a sizeor depth of a processing region, a type of sample, a dose), the opticalcondition is selected and the processing condition on the sample withrespect to the focused beam is automatically calculated according to theselected optical condition. Even in the focused ion beam apparatusaccording to the related art, when the operator tries to inputappropriate input data, it is necessary to detect that the particularstructure appears on the cross section of the sample.

DOCUMENT OF RELATED ART

(Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent Application Publication No.2006-313704

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, in order for the operator to detect the particular structure,the operator needs to be skilled enough to be capable of determining theparticular structure. Further, it takes time to identify an image of thesample. Therefore, in a charged particle beam apparatus using the FIB,or the like, automated processing is required.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind theabove problems, and the present invention proposes a charged particlebeam apparatus and a control method thereof, the charged particle beamapparatus being capable of automating processing.

In order to solve the problem and to achieve the objective, the presentinvention adopts the following aspects.

(1) According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provideda charged particle beam apparatus including: an image identity degreedetermination unit determining whether an identity degree is equal to orgreater than a predetermined value, the identity degree indicating adegree of identity between a processing cross-section image that is anSEM image obtained through observation of a cross section of the sampleby a scanning electron microscope, and a criterion image that is theprocessing cross-section image previously registered; and apost-determination processing unit performing a predetermined processingoperation according to a result of the determination by the imageidentity degree determination unit.

In the charged particle beam apparatus according to the aspect describedin (1) above, when the criterion image is registered in advance, aparticular structure appearing at a processing end is automaticallydetected, whereby processing may be automated.

(2) The charged particle beam apparatus described in (1) above mayfurther include: a registration image determination unit determining,based on the processing cross-section image, whether a particularstructure appears on the cross section, in a period before the imageidentity degree determination unit performs the determination; and animage registration unit registering the processing cross-section imageas the criterion image when the registration image determination unitdetermines that the particular structure appears on the cross section,in the period.

In the charged particle beam apparatus according to the aspect describedin (2) above, since the processing cross-section image in which it isdetermined that the particular structure appears in the middle ofprocessing of the sample is registered as the criterion image, precisionof the processing operation in which whether the processingcross-section image is identical to the criterion image is determined isincreased, compared to a case of using, as the criterion image, apredetermined SEM image of a particular periodic structure appearing atthe processing end by using a sample other that a sample which is anobject to be processed.

(3) In the charged particle beam apparatus described in (2) above, theregistration image determination unit may use, as the processingcross-section image, the SEM image for the determination which isobtained through observation by the scanning electron microscope withuse of a first mode, in the period; the image registration unit mayregister, as the criterion image, the processing cross-section imageobtained through observation of the cross section by the scanningelectron microscope with use of a second mode having resolution lowerthat resolution of the first mode, when the registration imagedetermination unit determines that the particular structure appears onthe cross section, in the period; and the image identity degreedetermination unit may use, as the processing cross-section image, theSEM image for the determination which is obtained through observation bythe scanning electron microscope with use of the second mode.

In the charged particle beam apparatus according to the aspect describedin (3) above, the second mode having the resolution lower than normalresolution that is the resolution of the first mode is used to determinewhether the particular structure appearing at the processing endappears, whereby a processing time may be shortened.

Herein, acquiring a high-resolution image takes longer than acquiring anormal-resolution image, resulting in a longer processing time. Forexample, a low speed scan takes a scan time longer compared to a normalscan. Further, when a lens mode with high resolution is used, it takestime to switch to a normal lens mode.

(4) In the charged particle beam apparatus described in (2) or (3)above, the criterion image may be a plurality of the processingcross-section images, and the image registration unit may register theprocessing cross-section image as the criterion image each time theregistration image determination unit determines that the particularstructure appears on the cross section, in the period.

In the charged particle beam apparatus according to the aspect describedin (4) above, the precision of the processing operation in which whetherthe processing cross-section image is identical to the criterion imageis determined may be increased, compared to a case where the criterionimage is one processing cross-section image.

(5) In the charged particle beam apparatus described in any one of (1)to (4) above, the criterion image may be the SEM image in which theparticular structure is taken, and the predetermined processingoperation may be a processing operation in which a predeterminedanalysis is conducted.

In the charged particle beam apparatus according to the aspect describedin (5) above, the processing operation may be performed in which apredetermined analysis is conducted on the cross section of the sample Son which the particular structure appears.

(6) According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provideda control method of a charged particle beam apparatus that processes asample by emitting a charged particle beam toward the sample, thecontrol method including: an image identity degree determination processof determining whether an identity degree is equal to or greater than apredetermined value, the identity degree indicating a degree of identitybetween a processing cross-section image that is an SEM image obtainedthrough observation of a cross section of the sample by a scanningelectron microscope, and a criterion image that is the processingcross-section image previously registered; and a post-determinationprocessing operation process of performing a predetermined processingoperation according to a result of the determination in the imageidentity degree determination process.

According to the charged particle beam apparatus of the presentinvention, processing can be automated. Further, according to thecharged particle beam apparatus of the present invention, processingtime can be shortened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objectives, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be more clearly understood from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of acharged particle beam apparatus according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of acontrol device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a lamella sampleproduction processing operation according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a charged particle beam apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of acharged particle beam apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.The charged particle beam apparatus 10 is an apparatus that processes asample S by emitting a charged particle beam toward the sample S.

The charged particle beam apparatus 10 includes a sample chamber 11, astage 12, a driving unit 13, a focused ion beam column 14, an electronbeam column 15, a detector 16, a gas supply unit 17, a display device20, a control device 21, and an input device 22.

The sample chamber 11 is a place where a sample S is placed and iscapable of maintaining the inside of the sample chamber to be in avacuum state. The stage 12 fixes the sample S inside the sample chamber11.

The driving unit 13 drives the stage 12. The driving unit 13 is receivedinside the sample chamber 11 while being in contact with the stage 12,and displaces the stage 12 with respect to a predetermined axisaccording to a control signal output from the control device 21. Thedriving unit 13 includes a moving unit 13 a that moves the stage 12along an X axis and a Y axis parallel which are perpendicular to eachother and are parallel to the horizontal plane, and along a Z axisparallel which is in a vertical direction perpendicular to the X axisand the Y axis. The driving unit 13 includes a tilt unit 13 b rotatingthe stage 12 around the X axis or Y axis, and includes a rotation unit13 c rotating the stage 12 around the Z axis.

The focused ion beam column 14 emits a focused ion beam (FIB) to anobject to be irradiated which is within a predetermined irradiationregion (namely, a scan range) inside the sample chamber 11.

The focused ion beam column 14 causes, inside the sample chamber 11, abeam emitting portion (not shown) to face the stage 12 at a positionvertically above the stage 12 within the irradiation region, and isfixed to the sample chamber 11 with the optical axis parallel to thevertical direction. As a result, the focused ion beam column 14 iscapable of emitting the focused ion beam downward in the verticaldirection above the object to be irradiated, such as the sample S, orthe like, fixed on the stage 12. Herein, the focused ion beam column 14may be fixed to the sample chamber 11 with the optical axis parallel toa direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

The focused ion beam column 14 includes an ion source 14 a generatingions and ion optics 14 b focusing and deflecting the ions extracted fromthe ion source 14 a. The ion source 14 a is an ion source such as aliquid metal ion source, a plasma ion source, a gas field ion source, orthe like. The ion source 14 a and the ion optics 14 b are controlledaccording to the control signal output from the control device 21, andan irradiation position, an irradiation condition, and the like of thefocused ion beam are controlled by the control device 21. The ion optics14 b includes, for example, a first electrostatic lens, such as, acondenser lens, or the like; an electrostatic deflector; and a secondelectrostatic lens, such as an objective lens.

The electron beam column 15 emits an electron beam (EB) to the object tobe irradiated within the predetermined irradiation region inside thesample chamber 11. The electron beam column 15 includes a secondarycharged particle detector (not shown) that detects secondary chargedparticles (back-scattered electrons) generated from the object to beirradiated due to irradiation with the electron beam inside the electronbeam column 15.

The electron beam column 15 includes an electron source 15 a generatingelectrons, and electron optics 15 b focusing and deflecting theelectrons emitted from the electron source 15 a. The electron source 15a and the electron optics 15 b are controlled according to the controlsignal output from the control device 21, and an irradiation position,an irradiation condition, and the like of the electron beam arecontrolled by the control device 21. The electron optics 15 b includes,for example, an electron lens, a deflector, or the like.

The detector 16 detects secondary charged particles R (secondaryelectrons, secondary ions, or the like) generated from the object to beirradiated due to irradiation with the focused ion beam or electronbeam. The gas supply unit 17 supplies gas Ga to the surface of theobject to be irradiated.

The electron beam column 15 and the detector 16 constitute a scanningelectron microscope 30.

The charged particle beam apparatus 10 performs a variety of processing(etching processing, and the like) with sputtering and formation of adeposition film by scanning and irradiating the surface of the object tobe irradiated with the focused ion beam. The charged particle beamapparatus 10 may perform processing for forming a cross section forcross-section observation on the sample S by using the scanning electronmicroscope 30, or the like, and may perform processing for forming asample piece (for example, a lamella sample, a needle-shaped sample, orthe like) for transmission observation from the sample S by using atransmission electron microscope. The charged particle beam apparatus 10performs observation of the surface of the object to be irradiated byscanning and irradiating the surface of the object to be irradiated,such as the sample S, or the like, with the focused ion beam or electronbeam.

The display device 20 displays image data, or the like based on thesecondary charged particles detected by the detector 16 or the detectorinside the electron beam column 15.

The input device 22 receives a variety of operations from the operatorof the charged particle beam apparatus 10. The input device 22 is, forexample, a mouse and a keyboard outputting a signal in response to aninput operation of the operator.

The control device 21 controls the driving unit 13, the focused ion beamcolumn 14, and the electron beam column 15 based on a processingcross-section image SI that is an SEM image obtained by observing thecross section of the sample S with use of the scanning electronmicroscope 30. Further, the control device 21 controls the driving unit13, the focused ion beam column 14, and the electron beam column 15based on the operation from the input device 22.

The control device 21 is, for example, a personal computer (PC).

Herein, referring to FIG. 2, a configuration of the control device 21will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of theconfiguration of the control device 21 according to the presentembodiment. The control device 21 is displaced outside the samplechamber 11. The driving unit 13, the focused ion beam column 14, theelectron beam column 15, the detector 16, the display device 20, and theinput device 22 are connected to the control device 21.

The control device 21 integrally controls the operation of the chargedparticle beam apparatus 10 by an operation signal OS output from theinput device 22, a signal generated by preset automatic operationcontrol processing, or the like.

The control device 21 includes an SEM controller 210, an FIB controller220, a driving unit controller 230, a processing controller 240, animage identity degree determination unit 250, a storage 260, and animage generation unit 270. The SEM controller 210, the FIB controller220, the driving unit controller 230, the processing controller 240, theimage identity degree determination unit 250, and the image generationunit 270 are modules implemented by a CPU of the control device 21 whichreads and performs a processing operation.

The SEM controller 210 controls the electron beam column 15 byoutputting an SEM control signal SS to the electron beam column 15. TheSEM control signal SS is, for example, a signal for switching anobservation mode M of the scanning electron microscope 30. Theobservation mode M includes a first mode M1 and a second mode M2 inwhich resolution is lower than that of the first mode M1.

In the present embodiment, the observation mode M corresponds to, forexample, a scan speed. The first mode M1 is a mode in which scanning isperformed at a speed lower than a normal speed. The second mode M2 is amode in which scanning is performed at a normal speed. In the first modeM1, scanning is performed at the speed lower than that of the secondmode M2, and thus the SEM image with resolution higher than that of thesecond mode M2 is obtained.

Further, the observation mode M may correspond to a lens mode indicatingthe optical condition of the electron optics 15 b. When the observationmode M corresponds to the lens mode, the first mode M1 is ahigh-resolution mode having resolution higher than that of a normalmode. The second mode M2 is the normal mode having resolution lower thanthat of the high-resolution mode.

The FIB controller 220 controls the focused ion beam column 14 byoutputting an FIB control signal FS to the focused ion beam column 14.The FIB control signal FS is, for example, a signal for setting theirradiation position, the irradiation condition, and the like of thefocused ion beam.

The driving unit controller 230 controls the driving unit 13 byoutputting a driving control signal MS to the driving unit 13. Thedriving control signal MS is a signal for displacing the stage 12 withrespect to a predetermined axis.

The image generation unit 270 acquires detection data D supplied fromthe detector 16. The detection data D is data indicating the amount ofsecondary charged particles detected by the detector 16 while theirradiation position for the charged particle beam is scanned.

The image generation unit 270 converts, based on the detection data D,the amount of the detected secondary charged particles into a luminancesignal corresponding to the irradiation position, and generates imagedata representing the shape of the cross section of the sample S basedon two-dimensional position distribution of the amount of the detectedsecondary charged particles. The image data may contain the processingcross-section image SI. The image generation unit 270 causes theprocessing cross-section image SI to be displayed on the display device20.

The image generation unit 270 causes each piece of the generated imagedata and a screen for performing operations, such as zoom-in, zoom-out,translation, rotation, and the like of each piece of the image data, tobe simultaneously displayed on the display device 20. Further, the imagegeneration unit 270 causes a screen for performing a variety of settingoperations, such as processing setting, and the like, to be displayed onthe display device 20.

The processing controller 240 performs a processing operation based onthe processing cross-section image SI. The processing controller 240includes a registration image determination unit 241, an imageregistration unit 242, and a post-determination processing unit 243.

The registration image determination unit 241 determines, based on theprocessing cross-section image SI, whether a particular structureappears on the cross section of the sample S. Herein, the particularstructure is, for example, a structure that characterizes a processingend.

The image registration unit 242 registers, as a criterion image CI, theprocessing cross-section image SI in which the registration imagedetermination unit 241 determines that the particular structure appearson the cross section of the sample S. Herein, the image registrationunit 242 stores the processing cross-section image SI as the criterionimage CI in the storage 260, thereby registering the processingcross-section image SI.

The post-determination processing unit 243 performs a predeterminedprocessing operation according to a result of the determination by theimage identity degree determination unit 250. Herein, the predeterminedprocessing operation is, for example, a processing operation forterminating the processing of the sample S.

The image identity degree determination unit 250 determines whether anidentity degree indicating a degree of identity between the processingcross-section image SI and the criterion image CI which is a previouslyregistered processing cross-section image SI, is equal to or greaterthan a predetermined value. Further, the predetermined value may bearbitrarily set.

The storage 260 stores the criterion image CI. The storage 260 is astorage device, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a hard diskdrive (HDD), flash memory, or the like. Further, the storage 260 may beprovided outside the charged particle beam apparatus 10. In the casewhere the storage 260 is provided outside the charged particle beamapparatus 10, for example, the storage 260 is provided as a cloud serverwith which the control device 21 performs communication.

Further, at least one among the processing controller 240 and the imageidentity degree determination unit 250 may be provided outside thecharged particle beam apparatus 10. When the processing controller 240and the image identity degree determination unit 250 are providedoutside the charged particle beam apparatus 10, the processingcontroller 240 and the image identity degree determination unit 250 areimplemented each, for example, as an application installed in a PCseparate from the control device 21 or an application provided in acloud server.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, a process in which the charged particle beamapparatus 10 produces a lamella sample from the sample S will bedescribed. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a lamellasample production processing operation according to the presentembodiment.

Step S10: the FIB controller 220 performs processing on the surface ofthe sample S, so that the cross section of the sample S is produced.Herein, the FIB controller 220 outputs the FIB control signal FS to thefocused ion beam column 14 so that the focused ion beam column 14 emitsthe focused ion beam to irradiate the sample S.

Step S20: the SEM controller 210 sets the observation mode M to thefirst mode M1. Since the observation mode M is set to the first mode M1,the scan speed is set to the low speed.

Step S30: the registration image determination unit 241 acquires aprocessing cross-section image SI1 generated by the image generationunit 270. Herein, the processing cross-section image SI1 is an SEM imagebased on a result of observing the cross section of the sample S by thescanning electron microscope 30 in the first mode M1.

Step S40: the registration image determination unit 241 determineswhether a particular structure appears in the processing cross-sectionimage SI1 acquired at step S30. When the registration imagedetermination unit 241 determines that the particular structure appearsin the processing cross-section image SI1 at step S40 (YES), the controldevice 21 performs a processing operation of step S50. However, when theregistration image determination unit 241 determines that the particularstructure does not appear in the processing cross-section image SI1 atstep S40 (NO), the control device 21 performs the processing operationof step S10 again.

Herein, the step S40 corresponds to a period before the image identitydegree determination unit 250 performs the determination. That is, theregistration image determination unit 241 determines, based on theprocessing cross-section image SI1, whether the particular structureappears on the cross section of the sample S, in the period before theimage identity degree determination unit 250 performs the determination.

Further, the processing cross-section image SI1 is an SEM image obtainedthrough observation by the scanning electron microscope 30 with use ofthe first mode M1, in the period before the image identity degreedetermination unit 250 performs the determination. That is, theregistration image determination unit 241 uses the processingcross-section image SI for determination, which is the SEM imageobtained through observation by the scanning electron microscope 30 withuse of the first mode M1, in the period before the image identity degreedetermination unit 250 performs the determination.

Step S50: the FIB controller 220 stops the processing.

Step S60: the SEM controller 210 sets the observation mode M to thesecond mode M2. Since the observation mode M is set to the second modeM2, the scan speed is set to the normal speed.

Step S70: the registration image determination unit 241 acquires aprocessing cross-section image SI2 generated by the image generationunit 270. Herein, the processing cross-section image SI2 is an SEM imagebased on a result of observing the cross section of the sample S in thesecond mode M2.

Step S80: the image registration unit 242 registers the processingcross-section image SI2 as the criterion image CI. Herein, the imageregistration unit 242 stores the processing cross-section image SI2 asthe criterion image CI in the storage 260.

Herein, the step S80 corresponds to a period before the image identitydegree determination unit 250 performs the determination. That is, theimage registration unit 242 registers the processing cross-section imageSI2 as the criterion image CI when the registration image determinationunit 241 determines that the particular structure appears on the crosssection of the sample S, in the period before the image identity degreedetermination unit 250 performs the determination.

Further, the processing cross-section image SI2 is the processingcross-section image SI obtained through observation of the cross sectionof the sample S by the scanning electron microscope 30 with use of thesecond mode M2 having resolution lower than that of the first mode M1.That is, when the registration image determination unit 241 determinesthat the particular structure appears on the cross section of the sampleS, in the period before the image identity degree determination unit 250performs the determination, the image registration unit 242 registers,as the criterion image CI, the processing cross-section image SI2obtained through observation of the cross section by using the scanningelectron microscope 30 with use of the second mode M2 having resolutionlower than that of the first mode M1.

Step S90: the FIB controller 220 produces the cross section of thesample S. Herein, the FIB controller 220 outputs the FIB control signalFS to the focused ion beam column 14 so that the focused ion beam column14 emits the focused ion beam to irradiate the sample S.

Step S100: the registration image determination unit 241 acquires aprocessing cross-section image SI2 generated by the image generationunit 270. Herein, the processing cross-section image SI2 is an SEM imagebased on a result of observing the cross section of the sample S by thescanning electron microscope 30 in the second mode M2.

Step S110: the image identity degree determination unit 250 determineswhether the processing cross-section image SI2 is identical to thecriterion image CI. Herein, the image identity degree determination unit250 determines that the processing cross-section image SI2 is identicalto the criterion image CI, when the identity degree indicating thedegree of identity between the processing cross-section image SI2 andthe criterion image CI is equal to or greater than the predeterminedvalue.

The image identity degree determination unit 250 performs thedetermination using a known algorithm for determining an identity degreeof an image.

Herein, the processing cross-section image SI2 is an SEM image obtainedthrough observation by the scanning electron microscope 30 with use ofthe second mode M2. That is, the image identity degree determinationunit 250 uses the processing cross-section image SI2 for thedetermination, which is the SEM image obtained through observation bythe scanning electron microscope 30 with use of the second mode M2.

When the image identity degree determination unit 250 determines thatthe processing cross-section image SI2 is identical to the criterionimage CI at step S110 (YES), the control device 21 performs a processingoperation of step S120. However, when the image identity degreedetermination unit 250 determines that the processing cross-sectionimage SI2 is not identical to the criterion image CI at step S110 (NO),the control device 21 performs the processing operation of step S90again.

Step S120: the post-determination processing unit 243 performs apost-determination processing operation. The post-determinationprocessing unit 243 causes the FIB controller 220 to terminate, forexample, the processing of the sample S, as the post-determinationprocessing operation.

Afterward, the control device 21 terminates the lamella sampleproduction processing operation.

Further, the post-determination processing unit 243 may perform, as thepost-determination processing operation, a processing operation in whichprocessing continues until it is determined a predetermined number oftimes that the processing cross-section image SI2 is identical to thecriterion image CI. In this case, the post-determination processing unit243 causes the control device 21 to repeat the processing operations ofsteps S90, S100, and S110 until it is determined the predeterminednumber of times that the images are identical at step S110.

Further, the post-determination processing unit 243 may perform ananalysis processing operation as the post-determination processingoperation. The analysis processing operation is a predetermined analysisconducted on the sample S, for example, energy dispersive x-rayspectrometry (EDS). The criterion image CI is the processingcross-section image SI registered when the particular structure appearson the cross section of the sample S at step S40, and thepost-determination processing operation is performed when the processingcross-section image SI is identical to the criterion image CI at stepS110, and thus the analysis processing operation is performed on thecross section of the sample S on which the particular structure appears.

That is, the criterion image CI is the SEM image in which the particularstructure is taken, and the post-determination processing operation isthe processing operation in which a predetermined analysis is conducted.

Further, regarding the lamella sample production processing operationshown in FIG. 3, the case where the scan speed is set for theobservation mode M has been described, but the present invention is notlimited thereto. As the observation mode M, the lens mode may be set.

Further, for the observation mode M, magnification of the electronoptics 15 b of the electron beam column 15 may be set. When themagnification of the electron optics 15 b is set for the observationmode M, the first mode M1 corresponds to high magnification. The secondmode M2 corresponds to low magnification. Although the processing timedoes not change with the magnification of the electron optics 15 b, thesample S is observed at low magnification of the second mode M2, therebyreducing damage to the sample S which is accompanied by irradiation withthe EB.

Further, in the present embodiment, the case where one processingcross-section image SI is registered as the criterion image CI has beendescribed, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Thecriterion image CI may be a plurality of the processing cross-sectionimages SI.

In the case where the criterion image CI is a plurality of theprocessing cross-section images SI, regarding the lamella sampleproduction processing operation shown in FIG. 3, the control device 21repeats the processing operations at steps S10 to S40 until theprocessing cross-section images SI in which the particular structuresappear are obtained as many as a predetermined number. Herein, the imageregistration unit 242 registers the processing cross-section image SI1as the criterion image CI each time the registration image determinationunit 241 determines that the particular structure appears on the crosssection of the sample S, in the period before the image identity degreedetermination unit 250 performs the determination.

Compared to the case where one processing cross-section image SI is usedas a criterion image CI, in the case where the criterion image CI is aplurality of the processing cross-section images SI, the precision ofthe processing operation in which whether the processing cross-sectionimage SI2 is identical to the criterion image CI is determined at stepS110 may be increased.

Further, the sample S has a periodic structure, and the number of timesthat the image identity degree determination unit 250 determines thatthe processing cross-section image SI2 is identical to the criterionimage CI is counted, whereby the thickness of the sample S in the middleof processing may be calculated. The control device 21 may execute thestep S120, when the thickness of the sample S is calculated and it isdetermined that the sample S has an appropriate thickness at step S110in FIG. 3.

Further, as a criterion image CI, a predetermined SEM image in which theparticular structure appearing at the processing end is taken, may bestored in the storage 260 in advance of the start of the processing. Inthe case where the criterion image CI is stored in the storage 260 inadvance of the start of the processing, the registration imagedetermination unit 241 and the image registration unit 242 may beomitted from the configuration of the control device 21.

As described above, in the charged particle beam apparatus 10 accordingto the present embodiment, once the criterion image CI is registered,the particular structure that appears at the processing end isautomatically detected, whereby processing can be automated.

Further, in the charged particle beam apparatus 10 according to thepresent embodiment, the second mode M2 having resolution lower than thenormal resolution in the first mode M1 is used to determine whether theparticular structure appearing at the processing end appears, wherebythe processing time can be shortened.

Further, a part of the control device 21 of the charged particle beamapparatus 10 according to the above-described embodiment, for example,the processing controller 240 and the image identity degreedetermination unit 250 may be implemented by a computer. In this case,this configuration may be implemented by recording a program forenabling such control functions on a computer-readable recording mediumand causing a computer system to read the program recorded on therecording medium for execution. Further, it is noted that the “computersystem” herein refers to a computer system built into the chargedparticle beam apparatus 10 and includes an OS or hardware, such as aperipheral device, or the like. Furthermore, the “computer-readablerecording medium” refers to a portable medium such as a flexible disk, amagneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or the like; or a storage devicesuch as a hard disk built in to the computer system, or the like.Moreover, the “computer-readable recording medium” may include a mediumfor dynamically holding a program for a short period of time, such as acommunication line that is used to transmit the program over a networksuch as the Internet or over a communication circuit such as a telephonecircuit, and a medium for holding, in such a case, a program for a fixedperiod of time, such as a volatile memory within a computer system thatfunctions as a server or a client. Furthermore, the program may beconfigured to implement some of the functions described above, and mayalso be configured to implement the functions described above incombination with a program already recorded in a computer system.

Furthermore, a part or the entire of the control device 21 according tothe above-described embodiment may be implemented as an integratedcircuit such as a large-scale integration (LSI), or the like. Functionalblocks of the control device 21 may be individually implemented asprocessors, or a part or all thereof may be integrated and implementedas a processor. Furthermore, the technique for being implemented as anintegrated circuit is not limited to the LSI, and the implementationwith a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor is possible.Furthermore, in a case where advances in the semiconductor technologyenable the implementation as an integrated circuit that can replace theLSI, such an advanced integrated circuit may be applicable.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the detailedconfiguration is not limited to what has been described above, andvarious design modifications may be made without departing from thescope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A charged particle beam apparatus processing asample by irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam, thecharged particle beam apparatus comprising: an image identity degreedetermination unit determining whether an identity degree is equal to orgreater than a predetermined value, the identity degree indicating adegree of identity between a processing cross-section image that is anSEM image obtained through observation of a cross section of the sampleby a scanning electron microscope, and a criterion image; apost-determination processing unit performing a predetermined processingoperation according to a result of the determination by the imageidentity degree determination unit; a registration image determinationunit determining, based on the processing cross-section image, whether aparticular structure appears on the cross section, in a period beforethe image identity degree determination unit performs the determination;and an image registration unit registering the processing cross-sectionimage as the criterion image when the registration image determinationunit determines that the particular structure appears on the crosssection, in the period.
 2. The charged particle beam apparatus of claim1, wherein the registration image determination unit uses, as theprocessing cross-section image, the SEM image for the determinationwhich is obtained through observation by the scanning electronmicroscope with use of a first mode, in the period; the imageregistration unit registers, as the criterion image, the processingcross-section image obtained through observation of the cross section bythe scanning electron microscope with use of a second mode havingresolution lower that resolution of the first mode, when theregistration image determination unit determines that the particularstructure appears on the cross section, in the period; and the imageidentity degree determination unit uses, as the processing cross-sectionimage, the SEM image for the determination which is obtained throughobservation by the scanning electron microscope with use of the secondmode.
 3. The charged particle beam apparatus of claim 1, wherein thecriterion image is a plurality of the processing cross-section images,and the image registration unit registers the processing cross-sectionimage as the criterion image each time the registration imagedetermination unit determines that the particular structure appears onthe cross section, in the period.
 4. The charged particle beam apparatusof claim 2, wherein the criterion image is a plurality of the processingcross-section images, and the image registration unit registers theprocessing cross-section image as the criterion image each time theregistration image determination unit determines that the particularstructure appears on the cross section, in the period.
 5. The chargedparticle beam apparatus of claim 1, wherein the criterion image is theSEM image in which the particular structure is taken, and thepredetermined processing operation is a processing operation in which apredetermined analysis is conducted.
 6. The charged particle beamapparatus of claim 1, wherein the criterion image is the SEM image inwhich the particular structure is taken, and the predeterminedprocessing operation is a processing operation in which a predeterminedanalysis is conducted.
 7. The charged particle beam apparatus of claim2, wherein the criterion image is the SEM image in which the particularstructure is taken, and the predetermined processing operation is aprocessing operation in which a predetermined analysis is conducted. 8.The charged particle beam apparatus of claim 3, wherein the criterionimage is the SEM image in which the particular structure is taken, andthe predetermined processing operation is a processing operation inwhich a predetermined analysis is conducted.
 9. The charged particlebeam apparatus of claim 4, wherein the criterion image is the SEM imagein which the particular structure is taken, and the predeterminedprocessing operation is a processing operation in which a predeterminedanalysis is conducted.
 10. A control method of a charged particle beamapparatus that processes a sample by irradiating the sample with acharged particle beam, the control method comprising: a registrationimage determination process of determining, based on a processingcross-section image that is an SEM image obtained through observation ofa cross section of the sample by a scanning electron microscope, whethera particular structure appears on the cross section; an imageregistration process of registering the processing cross-section imageas a criterion image when the registration image determination unitdetermines that the particular structure appears on the cross section;an image identity degree determination process of whether an identitydegree is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the identitydegree indicating a degree of identity between the processingcross-section image that is an SEM image obtained after the registrationimage determination process and the image registration process, and thecriterion image that is previously registered by the image registrationprocess; and a post-determination processing operation process ofperforming a predetermined processing operation according to a result ofthe determination in the image identity degree determination process.